Lava from vent of Puʻu ʻŌʻō enters ocean for first time in nearly a year

November 27, 2012 – HAWAII – A lava flow from the Kīlauea Volcano’s Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent entered the ocean at around 1 p.m. on Saturday. The spectacle drew a number of visitors to the area for tours over the weekend. The activity came a day after a small earthquake, measuring 4.3 magnitude occurred at the Lōʻihi Seamount. Lō’ihi is an active volcano situated on the sea floor about 19 miles from the south shoreline of Hawai’i Island. Despite being felt island-wide officials with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say there were no observable affects on other volcanoes.

The HVO notes that the ongoing eruption of Puʻu ʻŌʻō–Kupaianaha at Kīlauea began in January 1983. Since then, lava flows have destroyed 213 structures, and resurfaced 9 miles of highway, covering it with as much as 115 feet of lava. A flow in mid-2010 and early 2011, reached the Kalapana Gardens subdivision, destroying three homes, according to the HVO. –Maui Now